If you’ve been magnet fishing before, you might know the infamous struggle of deciding on the magnet strength for your planned endeavor! At first, it seemed magnet fishing was all about magnet strength. The stronger your magnet, the more metal it will pull out. However, the truth is a little more nuanced than that.
The truth is: For 90% of your catches, strength isn’t going to be an important factor. However, the 10% you’re missing out on may be the most interesting and unique catches.
There are two types of magnets available on the market. Single-sided and double-sided magnets. Both have their own uses in different situations. Let’s go into detail on how they work and what kind of places they’re good for.
The difference between household magnets and fishing magnets
Fishing Magnets come in many different shapes and based on what they’re used for
Household magnet’s magnet strength is fairly weak as they are usually small and single-sided with low-grade magnetic steel.
The magnet strength in fishing magnets is higher than that of household magnets, since a fishing magnet requires a lot of force to attract metal from far distances. Although, this doesn’t mean you can use an extremely strong magnet for your magnet fishing projects.
Quite the opposite! A strong magnet will actually decrease your chances of finding a treasure because it will attract too much metal at once! This means you won’t be able to find anything valuable because everything is tangled up together and may become impossible to retrieve. These insanely strong magnets also tend to be on the expensive side, so having to cut loose a magnet like this can be a costly endeavor.
So keep it weak folks!
What is a neodymium magnet?
Before we go into magnet strength, it’s very important to know what kind of magnet you are using. The magnet for magnet fishing is the Neodymium magnet. Neodymium magnets for magnet fishing are made out of neodymium, iron and boron in most cases. They’re also called NIB or Neo magnet.
Why these three materials?
Neodymium, iron and boron are all ferromagnetic elements, which means they act like tiny magnets themselves when put under pressure. When combined at certain ratios, they form a permanent magnet with unrivaled magnetic properties. Neodymium isn’t very common and therefore expensive to mine and process. Iron is added to maintain the magnetic properties of the alloy and to improve its rigidity. Boron is added to reduce the brittleness.
Single-sided magnets
A magnet is a magnet, right? If you’ve made it this far through the article, then you know that magnet strength isn’t always the most important factor. As long as your magnet has a strong enough magnetic field, then it can safely be used for magnet fishing without major problems. One big advantage of single-sided magnets is that they’re much easier to handle than double-sided ones. They’re also cheaper because their production requires less materials and therefore implies lower manufacturing costs.
Single-sided magnets have often been used in magnet fishing, even if their magnetic properties weren’t 100% optimal for the at hand.
Double-sided magnets
Double-sided magnets are a lot heavier for the same magnet strength. They’re also a lot more expensive for a magnet strength that is about the same as a single-sided magnet.
But there is a big difference when it comes to magnetizing the magnet twice! Magnetization of both sides doubles the magnetic field. This phenomenon can be used to make magnets stronger without having to use double-sided magnets or add extra weight with steel plates.
Therefore, it may be advisable to spend money on a weaker double-sided magnet instead of a comically strong single-sidedd magnet for the same price tag.
What is the best brand for magnetic fishing?
For entry-level magnets, most kits will suffice, but if you take a liking to this hobby, consider investing in a kit from Brute Magnetics. This should last a lifetime.
How does magnet strength affect rope strength?
The strength of the rope is another important factor to consider before buying a fishing magnet. If the rope can withstand only 100 pounds and the magnet can hold 200 pounds, then clearly, the rope will break before the magnet can be released from its target.
As a general rule of thumb: You should use a rope that’s at least twice as strong as the magnets you’re using.
What is the strongest fishing magnet?
The strongest fishing magnet kit available on the market is sold by Brute Magnetics. Please check out this page for a brief summary of kits of different strengths.
The magnet strength rating is measured in units called gauss. It is named after German mathematician and physicist Karl Friedrich Gauss.
For most applications, a magnet with a gauss rating of 30 to 50 is sufficient. For magnet fishing, then you should be looking at magnets that are rated between 500 and 1,000 gausses.
Using a grappling hook instead of a fishing magnet
Instead of attaching a magnet to the end of your rope, you can also attach a grappling hook. This enables you to even catch non-metallic items such as plastic or wood.
